How to convey interest to top programs after interview?

[ljl1982]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Obviously I will be sending thank you letters after interviewing at these programs, but what else can I do to ensure that my strong interest in the program is conveyed to the Program Director?

I have been considering sending a second set of thank you letters to my top programs closer to the ranking season . . . but when do most programs rank applicants?

I would greatly appreciate any advice from people who have been through the process. Thankfully, this interview season has gone well for me (11 interviews done, scheduled for 24 - will probably go on 18). Best of luck to everyone in the match.

 

[Wrigleyville]

I'm just sending one set of thank you notes to all of the programs I'm interviewing at, and at the end of the process I'll contact the program I'm ranking #1. I don't know how important it is to contact multiple "top programs", since I don't think they'd put much stock in anything that doesn't say they're number 1.

As an aside, that seems like a lot of rads interviews, both scheduled and one's you're planning to attend. I've done 4 out of 12, and I can already tell I'm going to be tired of the process toward the end of January. I hope you're cancelling the extra 6 with some time to spare so someone else can use em.

 

[ljl1982]

Thanks for the input. I was only planning on contacting my top 3.

Yes I did cancel those interviews with about 2-3 weeks advance notice.

 

[guy_incognito]

Wow, 18 interviews? At this point you already should be able to match. If I were you I'd only go to interviews that you really, really want to go to. There is no point in going to interviews that you know you won't rank higher than programs you've already been to. Save some money and help out others on wait lists, everybody wins.

Back to the point, I'm planning on contacting my top 2-3 programs. Number one will definitely be told they are number one. I'm not going to lie, so for #2/3 I'll either say "a top choice", "in the top 2/3", or something along those lines. Of course, this will be an additional letter to the PD after the run of the mill thank you notes to all the interviewers were already sent. These interest letters probably don't need to be too special, and I'll just send them via e-mail to ensure their safe arrivial. Also e-mail makes it easy for the program to send a quick reply if they want to. I figure the best time to send is as soon as you have finished interviews, probably around the first week of February, to ensure they haven't already done their final rank list.